13 March 2014

He who sings prays twice

Or three or four or five times... But I think St Benedict was onto something here. Singing makes the words so much more real, and they sink in more.

Yesterday I was writing a training course and listening to King's College Chapel Cambridge choir singing a whole lot of gorgeous stuff (including some psalms to Anglican chant) via Spotify. My mind and fingers were writing courses, but my spirit was soaring to the vaulted Chapel ceiling! My favourite hymn of all time popped up too (The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended - St Clement tune) which was perhaps not appropriate at 10am but I didn't care, it was beautiful.

And tonight was the first rehearsal of the re-formed St Luke's Choir. Five singers (for now - hopefully more soon), one accompanist, five hymns and a Taize chant, and it felt gorgeous. It was so good to be singing hymns again, and the ones for early in Lent are so lovely that they just carry you with them. Here's hoping it goes okay on Sunday, the first time we sing.